The Case For: A Baseball Hall of Fame Podcast · Russell Christian

Episode 36 - 2026 BBWAA Ballot Preview

·56 min·3 clips

Matt Kemp came within one home run of a 40-40 season and two hits of a batting title.

1. The Case Score episode covers the 2026 BBWAA Hall of Fame ballot, with Russell Christian previewing both first-time candidates and returning players. 2. Russell Christian hosts as an attorney and baseball fan, and his ballot breakdown matters because he frames the Hall of Fame case for each player. 3. The episode asks which 2026 ballot names have enough regular-season value, postseason value, and vote support to survive the writers’ process. 4. Cole Hamels is Russell’s top first-year candidate, and he cites 59 bWAR, 163 wins, 2,560 strikeouts, and four All-Star selections. 5. Hamels’s 2008 postseason is a major part of the case, because he won both NLCS MVP and World Series MVP for the Phillies. 6. Russell rejects Hamels on his “black ink” test, noting that WHIP in 2008 was the only category he led the league in. 7. Ryan Braun gets immediate attention because of his 2013 PED suspension, which Russell says hangs over the ballot discussion. 8. Braun’s résumé still includes 47.2 bWAR, 352 home runs, a 2011 NL MVP award, a 2007 Rookie of the Year award, and MVP votes in seven seasons. 9. Russell says Braun’s post-suspension production fell sharply after 2013, which he treats as evidence that the suspension changed how voters see the career. 10. Alex Gordon is presented as an elite defensive left fielder with eight Gold Gloves, two Platinum Gloves, and top-10 all-time ranking in left-field total zone runs. 11. Shin-Soo Choo’s value comes through as a long, steady career with 218 home runs, 152 hit-by-pitches, and a 2015 cycle, but Russell still stops short of calling him a Hall of Famer. 12. Edwin Encarnacion’s case centers on 424 home runs, eight 30-homer seasons, and 1,261 RBI, and Russell compares him to Darrell Evans as a useful but non-Cooperstown slugger. 13. Howie Kendrick’s strongest arguments are the 2019 Nationals postseason, his .344 season, and his NLCS MVP award after the sweep of the Cardinals. 14. Hunter Pence is framed as a fan favorite with two Giants World Series rings, four All-Star selections, and a career that earned sentimental support but not Cooperstown support. 15. Gio Gonzalez is described as a dependable starter with a 2012 season that included 21 wins, a 2.82 FIP, and a third-place finish in NL Cy Young voting. 16. Matt Kemp gets the longest what-if treatment because his 2011 season was close to a batting title and a 40-40 season, but injuries cut into the prime Russell thinks could have changed everything. 17. Daniel Murphy stands out for doubles, playoff production, and a .296 career average, with Russell emphasizing how often Murphy delivered in October. 18. The episode’s tone is analytical and conversational, with Russell repeatedly comparing player peaks, awards, injuries, and postseason moments in a ballot-by-ballot format. 19. Baseball Hall of Fame voters, ballot trackers, and fans of sabermetric case-building will get the most from this episode. 20. Listeners wanting deep dives on only one returning candidate may skip the broader ballot sweep.

As heard by us

A ballot-by-ballot Hall of Fame preview built on argument, memory, and baseball what-ifs.

Russell Christian spends the annual BBWAA ballot preview moving name by name through the 2026 slate, and the strongest part is how he keeps the case tied to both numbers and memory.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Press play if you want a real ballot preview, not a hot-take rundown.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from The Case For: A Baseball Hall of Fame Podcast